Toe-clamp for lasting-machines.



M. BROCK.

TOE CLAMP FOR LASTING MACHINES. APPUCATION FILED JAN. 21. 1912.

1,143,939. Patented June 22, 1915.

AIM/W THE NORRIS PETERS $0.. FHOTOJ-ITHQ, WASHINGTON D r.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MATTHIAS BROOK, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TOE-CLAMP FOR LASTING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHIAS BRocK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in T oe-Clamps for Lasting-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to toe lasting mechanism of the type used in bed lasting machines and has for its object to provide means cooperating with toe lasting plates or wipers to center the toe of the shoe with re lation to the wipers and then to hold it from displacement transversely of the Ina-- chine to an unsymmetrical relation to the wipers by reason, for example, of one wiper encountering greater resistance and therefore exerting greater lateral pressure on the toe than the other wiper does. Said means may also serve to assist the wipers in shaping the upper to the last.

In lasting the toes of welt shoes it is important that the wipers force the upper over the feather and firmly against the shoulder of the innersole on both sides of the toe. It sometimes happens, particularly with irregularly shaped lasts, that the greater resistance encountered by the wipers on one side of the toe than on the other side causes the toe of the shoe to be shifted transversely and out of symmetrical relation to the wipers so that the wiper on the harder side does not force the upper fully to the shoulder. The shoe being thus improperly lasted cannot be properly welted and presents an imperfect appearance when finished.

A feature of this invention consists in means for holding the toe against transverse displacement during the over-wiping operation, said means preferably serving first to center the toe laterally with relation to the center line of the machine and the wipers and also preferably being arranged to resist displacement unyieldingly.

A further feature of this invention is that the toe holding means is operatively connected with the toe wipers and is actuated therewith and without any special attention from the operator and with increasing force as the point in the wiper movement is approached at which the shoe is most likely to be displaced. The toe holder is self adapting to right and left shapes of toes and it serves as a clamp to hold the upper against the sides of the toe while the wipers advance over the last bottom. It is characteristic of the illustrated construction embodying this invention that the operative movement of the toe centering means is not dependent upon its engagement with a shoe but is effected by its actuating mechanism, and also that each of the toe centering blocks which are herein employed is actuated the same distance, or through the same range of movement, as the other one, the mechanism predetermining a symmetrical movement of the blocks toward and from the median line of the machine.

The several features of the invention will appear more fully from the following description and will then be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a toe lasting mechanism equipped with a preferred embodiment of this invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is a perspective detail and Fig. 4 is a modification.

The'toe lasting head is substantially like that shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 552,834 granted January 7, 1896, on application of Edward F. Grandy and comprises the tilting support 2 presenting a bearing 4 for a sleeve 5 which is adjustable in said bearing by a crank shaft 6 about an axis extending lengthwise of the machine. The front end of the sleeve 5 is broadened and flattened to present a wiper supporting table upon which the wiper carriers 10 have sliding movement to actuate the wipers l2. Roller studs 14 rising from the table 8 stand in cam slots in the carriers 10 which are connected by links 15 with a plunger 16 extending axially through the sleeve 5 and operated by the hand lever 18 which for this purpose is fulcrumed upon a bearing bracket 20 and connected by a link 22 with the end of the plunger. Through these connections the wipers have from the lever 18 a combined advancing and closing movement to lay the upper over the feather 2-3 and against the shoulder 24 of the innersole. As explained in said patent the toe lasting head has also, by mean-sof a treadle, an upward movement to cause the wipers, after having embraced the toe below the innersole, to wipe it up the side faces of the last to the edge of the shoe bottom.

Pivoted to the inner studs 14 are the corner extensions of angle levers 30 each having one arm extending forwardly toward the shoe and. pivotally supporting a pressureblock 35 and a second arm 32 extended outwardly from the machine. A link 34 connects each arm 32 with a cross-head 36 which is slidingly supported and maintained against any angular movement by slide rods 38, 38 which move freely endwise in recesses in the sleeve 5. Between the cross-head 36 anda block 40 which is fast upon and forms the head of plunger 16 there is a spring 42 encircling a guide rod 44 which is fast on said block and slides freely in the cross-head, having an inner headed end at 43 by which to draw the cross-head backwardly. Through the spring 42 motion and pressure is communicated from the hand lever 18 to the cross-head 36, links 34, levers 30 and pressure blocks 35 to cause the latter to engage the toe portion of the shoe, center it relatively to the wipers, and clamp and hold it rigidly during the closing of the wipers for working the upper over the feather 23 and against the shoulder 24 of the innersole equally on both sides of the toe while the shoe is maintained immovably against lateral displacement. It will be noted that the clamping and holding means is operated by the wiper operating lever so that its use requires no additional time and moreover that it cannot be neglected by the operative that the spring 42 provides the necessary lost motion to allow the wipers to do their work after the toe is clamped; that through compression of said spring the clamping pressure increases as the resistance offered to thev advance of the wipers is overcome; and that the clamping blocks are positively retracted from the shoe by the headed rod 43', 44 when the wipers are backed away from the shoe, so that said blocks offer no obstruction to the presentation of the shoe. Preferably the clamping blocks stand normally flush with the edges of the wipers when the wipers are open, as shown in Fig. 1.

In, F ig. 4 I have shown a modification in which the toe centering and holding blocks are actuated independently of the wipers, the wiper operating plunger 16 and lever 18 remaining the same, as do also the crosshead 36 and links 34. In this construction the bracket 20 has a downward extension on. which a new lever 50 is fulcrumed at 52. This lever is in turn connected to the crosshead 36 and has a pawl on its lower face to engage a ratchet face formed on the upper side of a stationary bracket arm 54. In

the use of this construction the toe centering blocks are advanced by their lever 50 before the wiper lever 18 is moved and said blocks are locked independently of the lever 18 in their toe holding position by the pawl and the ratchet 54.

Having explained the nature of this invention and described a preferred embodiment thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. In a lasting machine, end lasting wipers, operating mechanism for the wipers, and toecentering means comprising shoe engaging devices located at opposite sides of the toe of the shoe being operated upon, combined with operating mechanism for the toe centering means arranged to predetermine a symmetrical movement of the shoe engaging devices laterally toward the shoe first to center the shoe relatively to the machines center line and then to clamp the shoe, said last named operating mechanism being connected with the wiper operating mechanism.

2. In a lasting machine the combination with toe embracing wipers and operating mechanism for advancing and closing the wipers to. lay the upper over the feather and against the shoulder of an innersole. of toe centering means which is automatically Self adjusting for shoes of different sizes or widths, and operative connections therefrom to the wiper operating mechanism arranged to cause said centering means to hold the shoe against lateral displacement during the overlaying operation by the wipers.

In a lasting machine the combination with too embracing wipers and operating means for advancing and closing the wipers to lay the upper over-the feather and against the shoulder of an innersole, of toe centering blocks, angle levers on which the blocks are carried, a cross-head, links connecting the levers and cross-head, a yielding connection from the cross-head to said wiper operating means through which to advance the blocks to center the toe, and a connection with said operating means to retract the blocks with the wipers for the presentation of the shoe.

4. In a lasting machine the combination with toe embracing wipers and operating means for advancing and closing the wipers to lay the upper over the feather and against the shoulder of an innersole including a plunger and a hand lever, of across-head, a spring located between the lever and the cross-head to transmit lever movement and pressure to the cross-head, means'for guiding the cross-head for right linemovement, links connected to opposite ends of the crosshead, angle levers connected to the links, and toe centering blocks mounted, on the angle levers to clamp the toe between themselves when the wipers are operated.

5. In a lasting machine the combination with toe embracing wipers and operating means for advancing and closing the wipers to lay the upper over the feather and against the shoulder of an innersole, of toe clamping blocks, angle levers carrying the blocks and having corner extensions by which they are fulcrumed, and connections from the levers to the wiper operating mechanism for actu ating the levers and the blocks.

6. In a lasting machine the combination with toe embracing wipers and operating means for advancing and closing the wipers to lay the upper over the feather and against the shoulder of an innersole, of toe centering blocks occupying normal positions flush with the acting edges of the wipers and connections from the Wiper operating mechanism to the blocks acting independently of the shoe to move the blocks inwardly toward the shoe and into engagement therewith to center the toe relatively to said edges, and then clamp the toe against lateral displacement while the wipers are closed uniformly over the feather on both sides of the toe portion of the shoe innersole.

7. In a lasting machine the combination with toe embracing Wipers and operating means for advancing and closing the wipers to lay the upper over the feather and against the shoulder of an innersole, of toe centering blocks arranged to be actuated to engage opposite sides of the toe to center it, and operating means predetermining a symmetrical actuation of the blocks to center the toe and hold it against lateral displacement during the actuation of the wipers.

8. In a lasting machine the combination with toe embracing wipers and operating means for advancing and closing the wipers to lay the upper over the feather and against the shoulder of an innersole, of toe centering blocks arranged to be actuated independently of the shoe to engage opposite sides of the toe to center it, and a crosshead and connections through which the blocks are given a bodily inward closing movement symmetrically and unyieldingly with reference to each other toward the center line of the machine to center and hold the toe for the over wiping operation.

9. In a toe lasting mechanism, toe embracing wipers, and separate and inflexible toe centering and holding devices movable relatively to the wipers and operated from the Wipers through connections that clamp the shoe immovably against lateral displacement during the operation of the Wipers.

10. In a toe lasting mechanism, toe embracing wipers, separate and inflexible toe centering and holding devices combined with operating connections actuated by the wiper operating means and comprising a lost motion spring, a cross-bar having a right line movement only, angle levers, link connections from the cross-bar to the angle levers, and swiveling connections between the angle levers and the toe centering and holding devices, substantially as described.

11. In a lasting machine the combination with toe lasting wipers, of opposed toe centering devices arranged to engage opposite sides of the shoe toe, an actuator movable lengthwise of the shoe toe, and connections operating independently of the shoe and constructed and arranged to cause the force from said longitudinally movable actuator to be applied to the centering devices in a direction substantially transversely to the shoe.

12. In a lasting machine the combination with toe lasting wipers, of opposite toe centering devices arranged to engage opposite sides of the shoe toe, fulcra for said devices immovable transversely of the machine, an actuator which is limited to movement lengthwise of the machine, and links connecting opposite lateral sides of the actuator with the centering devices at the outer sides of the fulcrum.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MATTHIAS BROCK.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR L. RUSSELL, HERBERT W. KENWAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

